What is scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a muscular-skeletal misalignment that impacts on the entire body. Every case of scoliosis is different as any part of the spine can deviate from the central axis, in any number of places, and be reflected on the outside in several variations. Some people lean more to one side. Some lean forward. The pelvis or the ribcage can twist along with the vertebrae of the spine. It is a degenerative condition that manifests slowly. Many people may not even notice they have any scoliosis unless someone else points it out to them that their back is uneven or their clothes won’t hang straight or a health care provider gives a diagnosis.
Inside the body afflicted with scoliosis the nervous system has adapted to a misinterpretation about the sense of direction in relationship with gravity. Tension patterns in the muscles to grip the bones in the pattern dictated by the misalignment become the accepted experience to that person. Which way is up to stand erect? Why do the shoulders and upper arms not have the same shape when I wear a sweater or coat? Why am I susceptible to every upper respiratory infection that goes around?
What does yoga offer?
The purpose of yoga asana is to offer an experience to the mind/body/sensory experience to guide the body to attempt to return to the intention of its design. The yoga poses challenge the body to make decisions about its relationship with gravity for balance, to make the bones weight bearing, to make the muscles both strong and supple, and give joints a free range of movement. These are even bigger challenges and benefits for those who have postural misalignments such as scoliosis (a lateral deviation of the spinal vertebrae) and kyphosis (a rounding of the upper spine).
The two sides of the spine of the scoliosis curves have opposite problems: one side the muscles are over stretched and the other side the muscles have shortened and become tight. Both sides are weak for different reasons. Even simple yoga can improve this situation to lengthen tight muscles and strengthen weak muscles and in that process return joints to better alignment.
Other issues that are common side cars, such as back ache, sciatica, vertigo, or poor digestion fall away as the frame of the body and the spine are brought back towards the design of structural form intended by Mother Nature. Any of these symptoms can be addressed during classes as needed with specific sequences or use of equipment.
How many times do I need to come for yoga?
One session of yoga will not “cure” anything. Change comes slowly. The entire organism has to be reorganized, accompanied by recognition of occupying space on the outside and inside in a new orientation. Yoga sharpens a physical awareness for everyone that is particularly helpful for those with scoliosis to become more balanced in ordinary daily activities. But it is possible to find a sensation of refreshment and interior opening even from the first class.
Scoliosis makes changes to the body slowly over several years and even decades. To unwind those changes also takes time. A sudden change would create a violent trauma. The subtle, incremental changes offered by yoga practice allow the nervous system to receive and adapt slowly. Yoga is a life style to support the health of the body. It requires a certain amount of application of effort to maintain the desired results. It is the home practice of yoga that makes the significant, lasting change for the spine held by scoliosis. Every day you wash, you eat, you sleep. And a daily yoga practice combs the fibers of the body and aligns the joints. It becomes an integral part of your regular body care.
It is the work of the teacher to guide you with which prop to use, when, and how. But it is the work of the student to learn these things to be independent in the practice, to be able to practice at home. This is not accomplished in one session either.
Most yoga students begin taking class once a week. Those who come twice a week, progress twice as fast. Like any other skill, there is a learning curve. The information and the doing have to be repeated over and over before the coordination between the nervous system, the muscles, the brain, the understanding begin to arrive. People with scoliosis need to attend more classes than the generic student for their learning curve, as their issues are more complicated.
I already go to another style of yoga. Why should I come for these classes?
The Iyengar Method of yoga offers simple, logical approaches to classical yoga shapes that elongate the spine that collapses with scoliosis or kyphosis. The use of props (particular yoga equipment) accentuates traction and stabilizes joints while muscles can be strengthened to maintain proper alignment. It is also an integral part of the Iyengar Method to study the different parts of the muscular skeletal body and physiological body to aid in direct communication between the body and the sensory perception while performing different asanas (yoga postures).
Vigorous moving styles of yoga actually destabilize the joints further and accentuate the body’s tendencies towards imbalance. Strengthening muscles around misaligned joints holds that misalignment rather than alleviating the problem.
Is there a class just for people with scoliosis?
Yoga Vidya does not have a weekly class only about scoliosis but does offers 4 week Healing Yoga series on different topics, which includes scoliosis. Check the class schedule for specific dates and pricing structure for these series.
Because yoga is a well care approach for every body of any physical condition or age, students are encouraged to study in private sessions, topical series, and home practice to be able to join in the general classes as a continuous learning process and enjoyment of yoga studies. Each student, whatever their individual issues might be, can work independently in general classes once they have learned their specific variations well enough to keep up with the class pace.
Can yoga make my scoliosis go away?
Yoga can stretch and require muscles to become strong, it can change alignment of joints, it can change perceptions of where the body is in space. How much change that is possible is relative to how much effort is made by the individual. A strong scoliosis needs daily yoga to prepare for the activities of the day and some people want to also practice some yoga at the end of the day. Yoga will not “cure” scoliosis as it is not a disease but a condition that relates to the integration of the nervous system and the muscular-skeletal body. How you feel living inside that body can become dramatically different. How the body supports your life activities can become dramatically different. Yoga practice can resist allowing the scoliosis to deteriorate with the aging process.
